Cork-cutting machine.



H. BAETJER.

CORK CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.a, |911.

Patented June 20, 1916'.

S SHEETS--SHEET l.

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CORK CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLmAUoN rxLEn AuG.3,19H.

Patented .Tune 20, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i THE COLUMNA PLANOGRAPH col. wAsHlNuToN. D. c.

H. BAETJER.

CORK CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AG.3.19x|.

I Patented June 20, 1916. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 7]/ W4@ THB coLuMBxA PLANOGRAPH CO., wAsmNnroN, D. C.

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HOWARD BAEIJER, OE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE CROWN CORK AND SEAL COMPANYI OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORA- TION OF MARYLAND.

Application filed August 3, 1911.

Z 10 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HowAnD BAETJER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cork-Cutting Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in cork cutting machines.

The invention has for one of its objects to produce an improved cork cutting machine which shall be rapid and efficient in its operation and from which a compara.- tively large amount of product may be obtained with a relatively small amount of waste.

A further object of the invention is to produce an improved cork cutting machine in which pieces of corkwood of varying thickness or varying numbers of strips of corkwood may be presented to the cutters without necessitating special adjustments of the mechanism.

The invention further has in view certain improvements in detail constructions not necessary to specifically refer to here but which will be pointed out hereafter.

With these and other objects not specifically referred to in view, the invention con sists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements and combinations as will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out.

Referring to the drawings :MFigure l illustrates in plan view so much of a cork cutting machine constructed in accordance with the invention as is necessary to an understanding thereof. Fig. 2 is a side ele.- vation of the construction illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating more particularly the feeding or presenting devices for presenting the cork to the cutters. Fig. 4 isa detail sectional elevation on the broken line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view illustrating certain parts of the feeding mechanism. Fig,A 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the gearing for driving the cutters of the machine of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a. section on the line 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view illustra-ting the pawl Specilcation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2U, 191.6.

serial No. 642,086.

and ratchet mechanism for actuating the feeding mechanism.

. The machine which has been selected to illustrate the invention is of the class of cork cutting machines known as blockers, that is to say, it is a machine in which plugs or disks of cork are cut from a block or mass, though the invention as to some of its aspects is not restricted to such machines. While the construction may be varied in this respect, machines embodying the invention in its best form will include a plurality of staggered blocking cutters. Vhen a plurality of staggered blocking cutters is employed the number of such cutters may be varied. In the particular machine illustrated, two such cutters, l and 2, are employed, these cutters being cylindrical in form and intended to cut out round disks, the machine being particularly adapted for cutting the cork disks employed in the manufacture of the wellknown Crown coi-ks. The cutters employed may be mounted and operated in various ways. In the particular construction illustrated, these cutters are threaded into hollow spindles 3, these spin dles being supported in bearings l, 5, mounted on pedestals (i forming part of the frame of the machine. As illustrated, the spindles i3 are provided with pinions 7 threaded onto the spindles and meshing with a driving gear 8 mounted on a shaft 9, this shaft, as shown, being the main driving shaft of the machine, and being driven from any suitable source of power, as, for instance, belts and pulleys not shown.

In addition to the rotating movement of the spindles and cutters produced by the gearing described, the cutters have, in the particular machine shown, a reciprocating movement to carry them into and out of the work. While this movement may be produced in various ways, in constructions which embody the invention in its best form, the mechanism for producing the movement will be such as to produce a regular advancing and retracting movement of the cutters as distinguished from a variable movement such as results from the employment of a crank. As shown, the spindles are surrounded by a double collar 10 held in position by look nuts l1 threaded on the spindles. This collar isprovided with a post 12 to which is secured a connecting rod 13 held in position by a nut 14, or in any othersuitable manner. This connecting rod has a fiattened rear portion which is slotted, as shown at l5, and is provided with two cam rolls 16, 17. The roll 16 is mounted on a pin 1S and the roll 17 is mounted on a block 19 adjustable in the slote15, this construction permitting wear to be taken up. The adjustment of the block 19 is effected by means of a screw and nut, indicated at 20. The rolls 1G and 17 bear on a cam 21 mounted on a vertical shaft 22 supported in a bearing 23 on the base of the machine, this'shaft being provided with a bevel gear 24 engaged by a bevel pinion 25 mounted on a short shaft 26 which is provided with a gear 27 which meshes with and is driven from a pinion 2S on the main driving shaft 9. The shaft 22 extendsthrough the slot 15 in the rea-r po-rtion of the rod 13 and so guides the rod in its movement. Itis apparent that as the cam 21 rotates the cutters will be vso advanced into and retracted Vfrom the work that the movement produced will be arcgularr one. Y Thisregular movement of the cutters has been found in'practice to be particularly advantageous Where the cork to be cut consists of Va plurality of assembled strips,'as the regular movement causes the cutters to advanceat substantially the same rate of speed throughv the Y mass andV there is less liability of breaking out'the disks which are cut from the strip last penetrated bythe cutters. Y g

VToprevent*thefdisks or plugs which are cutout by the cutters-from remaining in the Y interior-'Hof the cutters, suitable clearing devices may be employed. In the constructionV shown,A these clearing devices comprise knock-out rods 29'he'ld in a bearing 30 suitably supported in the machine `and extend- V' `ing through Vthe-cutters and their hollow carrying spindles. Y

It will'be understood, of course, that the n cutters are rotating as they are advanced by the mechanism`hereinbefore described. In

i jorden that the rotation of the cutters maybe jmamtained notwithstanding the advancing movement of the cutters, in the particular 'machine shown, although the construction Vmaybe varied'in this respect, the gear S be-` fore referred. to is secured'to the shaft 8 by a vfeather 31fand is provided with a shroud 32 b engaged by a similar shroudV 33 on the pinion 7 and by the lock 'nuts next it, -so that the Vgear '8 is caused to slide on the shaft 9 as the spindles are advanced and retracted.V

trated, the carrier comprises a pair of sprocket chains 34, these chains running over two pairs of sprocket wheels 35, these wheels being mounted on shafts 36 which are snpported in standards 37 forming a part of the machine frame.

The means employed to give the carrier its advancing movement may be varied but they should be of such a character as to give the carrier a step by step movement. In the particular construction illustrated, one of the shafts 36 is made somewhat longer than the other and carries a ratchet wheel 3S which is engaged by a pawl 39 mounted on a pawl carrier lever 40 which is loosely mounted on the shaft which carries the ratchet wheel, as usual in such constructions. The lower end of this lever 40 has connected to it a link 41,I

this link being also pivoted to one of the arms 42 of a bell-crank lever 42, 43, pivoted at 44 on the base of the machine. The arm 43 of the bell-crank has pivoted to it a short arm 45 adjustably connected to a rod 4G in turn connected to an eccentric strap 47 mounted on the vertical shaft 22.

In the best constructions embodying the invention the carrier will be supported to prevent shifting during the operation of presenting the cork to the cutting mechanism. lVhile the means employed for thus preventing shifting may be varied, in the construction illustrated the frame of the machine is provided with a pair of brackets 4S which carry a track comprising two rails 49 over which the chains run. It is important that the carrie-r move truly and that it does Vnot shift in its position during the work presenting operation` because if it does, the cuts made by the blocker cutter may overlap and produce imperfect work. Means should accordingly be provided for preventing side play of the carrier. While these means may be varied,Y in the construction shown the side bars of the chain carrier support links 50 whichV are cut away, as indicated at 51, to form a tongue and groove construction which engages a similar tongue and groove construction 52 on the blocker head 53.

In machines embodying the invention the carrier will be provided with clamping` devices which seize the work and present it to the cutting mechanism. While the construction of these clamping devices may be varied, in machines embodying the invention Vin its best form these devices will operate on one edge only ofthe work and will be of suchv a character as to receive a definite opening movement and avariable closing movement. This ldefinite opening and variable closing movement is of particular value in machines which, like the machine shown, are designed for cutting plugs or disks. In the manufactureof cork plugs or disks the sheets or pieces of cork- Cir (L il wood are first trimmed to cut oil the rough edges. The sheets are then cut into strips and when plugs are to be cut the strips are presented to the blocking cutter. When disks are to be made, these strips are sliced to produce a pluralitybf thin strips, such, for instance, as those shown in the drawings, these strips being assembled and immediately presented to the blocking` cutter. It will be understood that the thickness of the strips from which plugs are to be cut or the number of strips from which disks are to be cut will vary in accordance with. the thick ness of the corkwood which varies widely. The definite opening and variable closing of the clamping devices enable a` varying number ot' these slices or strips or strips of varying thickness to be put into the blocking` machine, and this can be done without any adjustment of the clamping` devices. In other words, by providing for a definite opening and a variable closing movement the clamping devices will take care of a larger or smaller number of strips, or thicker or thinner strips, and present them to the blocker cutter, the adjustment being automatically effected by the clamping devices themselves. VVhile the construction of the clamping devices may be varied. in the particular machine shown the links 5() carry a jaw plate 5%l which is thin and which rims close to the blocker head so as to be backed up thereby. A series of plungers are provided which are supported in perform tions in the legs of carrier links 50, these plunger rods carrying gripper plates 56. In the best constructions embodying the invention, the gripper plates 56 will be formed to provide fingers 56 f see Fig. 5) which are arranged to clamp against the material on each sido of the path of the cutter, the fingers being curved, as shov-Jn, so that they will bear against that part of the strip bctween successive cuts of the cutters. In the best constructions and as shown, the plunger rods will bc arranged in pairs, each pair of plungers being connected by a strip 5T which carries a cam roll Canis 5S) and are arranged on each side of the cutters and as the carrier travels the rolls 5S strike these cams, the cam 59 opening the grippers to receive the material and the cam 60 opening them again to release the waste. As shown, these cams are mounted on brackets 6l.. 62 extending from the machine frame. lhile the means for effecting the variable closing of the grippers may be varied, in the particular construction shown, each of the plungers 55 is provided with a collar 63 and is surrounded by a spring 64 which bears against the collar and against a side leg of the links 50. The eccentricity of the cams 59 is calculated so that the opening movement will be su'flicient to receive the greatest number of strips which it will be desired to put in the machine, and whether this number or a lesser number be put into the machine the spring G4 will effect the closing movement.

In machines embodying the invention in its best form, gages will also be provided for determining the position of the strips with respect to the clamping devices. fhile the construction and position of these gages may be varied, in the best constructions embodying the invention they will be mounted on the carrier and will operate on the same edge of the strip as the clamping devices. As shown, these gages consist of a plurality oi fingers 65 secured by strips or in any other suitable manner to the links 50. .As shown, the clamping plates which provide the fingers 56 are recessed out so that the fingers 65 extend between the fingers 56, thus making a very compact arrangement of gages and fingers and enabling the cutters to operate with the production of a comparatively small amount of waste.

In the machine shown a trough guide 66 is provided in which the strips are placed by hand and shoved forward into the range of action of the clamping devices. A similar trough guide G7 is provided on the other side of the machine which receives the waste and directs it out of the machine. The cork disks, in the machine shown, drop into a receptacle (38, indicated in Fig. l. in order to prevent undue strain on the cork as the cutters are pulled out of it. stripper plates 69 (see Fig. l) are provided` these plates being mounted on rods 70 which are supported in overhanging brackets 7l carried on the machine frame, the rods being surrounded by springs 72.

hieans should be provided to effect a variable opening movement of these stripper pla-tes which shall correspond to the nu1nber of strips or thickness of material which is being forwarded by the clamping devices on the carrier. As shown (sec )articularly Fig. l) the clamping plates (39 overlap at their inner end and at their outer end one of these plates is provided with a shoulder 73 which overlies the end of a lever 74 pivoted to one side oil the trough G6, the lever lying in the path of the forward ends of the strips which are seized and forwarded by the clamping` devices. As the strips are forwarded, the lever 74 is swung on its pivot and forces the stripper plates back an amount equal to the'thickness of the material or the number of the strips.

The blocker head will be provided with the usual cuttingblocks 7 5, these blocks being made adjustable by means of screws 76 having knurled heads 77.

In cutting disks from a plurality of strips of corkwood, there is a tendency, causedby the high speed of rotation of the cutter, for the disk which is being cut from the last strip to twist orturn with the cutter before the cut is completed. In other words, the lstrains setup by the cutter is sometimes sufficient to cause the material .which connects the last disk to the strip to break away before lthe cutter has completely penetrated the strip. The holding web which thus breaks away is of very slight thickness, .frequently not much more than oneY onehundredth of anA inch, butr it is sufficient to destroy the sharp edge which the dislnshould sufficient friction on the strip to prevent the twisting action referred to.

Toprevent overthrowT of the ratchet wheel 38 friction pads 80 (see Fig. 1).may be employed, these pads being located on each side Y of the 'wheel and exercising a braking effect thereon. Y

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by which the invention is carried 'into effect. The invention claimed is not, therefore, to be confined to the par- .ticular construction herein described and illustrated in the accompanyingy drawings.

.What is claimed is 1. In a cork-cutting machine, the combination, with a blocker-head having an abutment surface, a traveling carrier, means for moving the carrier step-by-step past the abutment surface of the blocker-head, and clamping devices mounted on the carrier and arranged to clamp the cork-,blocks to the carrier, said clamping devices comprising xed jaws arrangedto travel next to the blocker-head, movable jaws coacting with the fixed jaws, and means tending to press the movable jaws toward the fixed jaws, said movable jaws comprising elements spaced from each other along the line of their travel, and a blocker cutter arranged to pass through said spaces toward and from the abutment surface of the blocker-head during the intermission of travel of said carrier. Y

2. In a cork-cutting machine, the combination, with a blocker-head having an abutment surface and provided with guide-devices, blocking cutters, and means for moving said blocking cutters toward and from said abutment surface of the blocker-head, of a traveling carrier comprising links arranged to travel beneath the blocker-head and to be guided by the guide devices of the blocker-head, fixed jaws and movable jaws carried by said links, said jaws extending upward in front of the abutment surface, and yielding means tending to press said movable jaws toward the corresponding fixed aws, whereby a eork-block is clamped to the carrier, means for moving the carrier step-by-step to carry a cork-block past the abutment surface of the blocker-head, means for opening the jaws before they reach the blocker-head and means for opening the jaws after they have passed the blockerhead.

3. In a cork-cutting machine, the combination with an abutment surface in front of which the material may be traveled and toward which blocker cutters are recipro cated for the purpose of cutting out disks of cork, means traveling step-by-step parallel to said surface, and movable mechanism impelling said mea-ns in the direction of said surface to clamp the material during the cutting operation, such means comprising elements spaced from each other along the line of their travel to permit the passage of the cutters between said elements during the intermission of the travel of said means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOWARD BAETJER.

litnesses z IIowAnn D. ADAMS, II. M. LAi'rn.

. Oopiclof this patentimay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents.

Washington, D. C. 

